What Are You Fighting For?
by Ananda17lady
Summary: When Happy brings Natsu back to the guild critically wounded, Lucy decides to take matters into her own hands.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters.

This is my first story, so I hope you like it. Enjoy!

What Are You Fighting For?

Chapter 1

TICK.

TICK.

TICK.

Each second that passed seemed to echo throughout the room of the infirmary, every sound uncomfortably loud in the silence. The rushed footsteps of Lucy behind him, the _rrrrip_ of the medical tape as she helped change his bandages, the sloshing of water back and forth in the bowl as she brought it to the table to wet the washcloth she carefully placed on his forehead: they all seemed to bounce off the walls and in his ears. Happy was nearly overwhelmed by the intensity of it all, but he had to stay strong.

As long as he was still breathing, there was still hope.

On the far side of the room near the window, Natsu lay in the bed, silent and still, his wounds treated but still unable to open his eyes. His head of rose-hued hair lay heavy on the pillow behind him, his normally tan face now pale. The light from the partially open curtains cast shadows on his face as a cloud passed overhead. A glass of water sat on the nightstand beside the bed, ready for the time when the young man would awaken. Next to the water, folded carefully, was the scale-patterned scarf that he cherished so dearly.

Wendy, using every last bit of strength left, cast her healing magic on her fellow dragonslayer friend. Seeing him lie there looking so weak and vulnerable only made her determination greater. Sweat dotted her forehead as she worked silently. _Come on Natsu,_ she thought. Happy, his loyal friend, stayed by his side and rubbed his paw on his arm, his skin cool to the touch. "Natsu..."

TICK.

TICK.

TICK.

Just then Lucy walked up behind him with another blanket. "Don't worry Happy," she said, gently tucking the edge under Natsu's chin, "he's going to make it. We're going to save him somehow." Giving her a small smile, Happy turned to look at his friend. "Aye sir." He would put on a brave face for Natsu. For his friend.

Giving the young man and cat one last look, Lucy walked out of the small room and down the hall to where the rest of her team waited.

Looking up at the sound of footsteps approaching, Lucy's gaze was met by Gray, Erza, and Carla. Gajeel and Master Makarov rose from the chairs they were seated in as she walked up. "Any news?" Erza asked.

Lucy shook her head. "Still no change. But I'm getting worried about Happy; he refuses to leave Natsu's side."

"Well, as stubborn as Natsu can be, I can assure you all that he is not giving up just yet," the master replied. "We must all stay strong for his sake." The look of concern, however, did not leave his face nor the other guild members' faces. They all knew how strong Natsu was, but now they were dealing with factors unknown to them until now. Even Master Makarov was unaware of Natsu's past and the complications it had brought to the young dragonslayer.

 _"I can't believe all this time, Natsu was the one I was looking for to avenge my father,"_ Gray thought coldly to himself. _"But..."_

"Well, if this Zeref guy wants to pick a fight with one of us, I'm ready to throw down." His relationship with Natsu would be considered complicated at best, but Gray wasn't just doing this for Natsu. This was for Fairy Tail, and anyone that messes with the guild learns the hard way not to repeat that mistake.

"Gray, don't be hasty. We need to wait and come up with a plan." Erza wanted to rumble just as badly as her icy teammate, but experience ultimately won out. Her eyes narrowed as her thoughts turned to Natsu. _But what could they actually DO for Natsu?_ They still knew next to nothing about the man who supposedly did this to the dragonslayer. Happy had been there with Natsu when the battle began, but he had yet to give many details other than the hysterical babble he managed to get out when he brought Natsu back, near death.

" _Zeref...Natsu...END...Oh God, please don't let him die!"_

 _Hopefully the Master will have a plan soon,_ Erza prayed. For everyone's sake _._

Just then Wendy joined the group, sitting in one of the vacant chairs. "I'm sorry everyone. My healing magic doesn't seem to be having any effect on him," she said, eyes downcast.

"Nonsense, child, you did your best." Carla smiled up at her friend. She had seen the sky dragonslayer grow so much over the years, and she couldn't be prouder in this moment. Wendy smiled back. "Thanks Carla. I do feel like I've gotten stronger. But this magic..." Her voice trailed off. _I've never seen anything like this before._

Carla broke the momentary silence. "Now we need to do something about the tom cat."

"Leave him to me," Gajeel said shortly, joining the conversation. Turning without another word, he walked down the hall and into the room and closed the door behind him. Moments later, Happy's voice could be heard protesting from the other side of the door, then Gajeel coming through it with the blue Exceed in tow, held firmly under the strongman's arm. Amid everyone's stares, the iron dragonslayer and not-so-happy Happy continued down the hall in the direction of the bar to see Mirajane. "He'll be back later. Don't wait up." And with that, the pair rounded the corner and disappeared.

"Well...now that _that's_ taken care of, it's time to take care of the next bit of business." Everyone turned their attention back to Makarov. Whatever lightness that watching Gajeel and Happy brought to the mood was gone as the seriousness of the situation on the other side of that infirmary door returned. "Until we can get Happy to talk, we don't have much information to go on. Let's hope that Natsu can tell us something when he wakes up."

Everyone nodded in agreement, although they all refused to say what they were thinking out loud. _If he wakes up._ Lucy looked back at the closed door, concern and worry for her friend painted across her face. _Natsu,_ she thought. _What happened to you out there?_ She couldn't bear seeing her friend like this anymore. As the others decided who would take the next turn sitting with Natsu, Lucy headed down the hall, hoping the little blue Exceed was still with Gajeel. Happy was the key to this mystery...

And Lucy needed answers.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Fairy Tail or the characters mentioned.

Based on Chapters 463-465 of the manga "Fairy Tail"

by Hiro Mashima.

What are you fighting for?

Chapter 2

To Lucy's relief and amusement, she found Happy and Gajeel right where she expected them to be. Sitting across from each other in a booth near the bar, she found the two having dinner. Although he was now only picking at the fish in front of him, she could tell that Happy had at least attempted to eat a little. It was then that she realized she couldn't remember the last time she saw her blue friend eat since he brought Natsu back. A small smile crossed her face at the thought of how the iron dragonslayer "persuaded" him to get even that much food in his belly. Gajeel, on the other hand, was making sure to make up for Happy's lack of appetite. The small mountain of food in front of him brought back memories of the amount she had seen Natsu pack away on more than one occasion. The recollection seemed tainted now with the current situation, however, as she was brought back to the present. Pushing the thought aside, she made her way over to the booth.

It was only after he noticed Lucy standing next to Happy that Gajeel paused to look up at her. "I can keep an eye on him for awhile Gajeel," she said with a smile. "Thanks." He looked away with a hint of a blush in his cheeks. "Yeah, well, it's no big deal," he said shortly. "Anyway, does the Master have a plan yet?," turning back to his meal.

Lucy shook her head. "We may be forced to wait until Natsu wakes up before we can get any answers." Her brown eyes shifted to Happy. "That is, unless you think you could talk to me about it..."

Happy's gaze never moved away from the half-eaten fish in front of him. "I..."

"We need your help, Happy." Lucy cut in, her voice a bit firmer than she intended. "If you don't tell us what happened, Natsu _will_ die."

Gajeel sat silently watching the two, forgetting his food for the moment. He knew that the celestial wizard and Exceed had their own dynamic within Team Natsu, but the urgency in Lucy's voice peaked his interest. _Let's just see how this plays out,_ he thought to himself.

Happy's eyes shot up at her at that last sentence. "We can't let him die! He just CAN'T!" he cried.

"Then _PLEASE_ Happy," Lucy pleaded, holding his face in her hands, "tell me what happened to Natsu. I...we need to save him."

Gajeel's eyebrow lifted at Lucy's last sentence. _Why is she getting so worked up about this?_ Sure, they all wanted to get a little payback for messing with the guild, but her response hinted that her motivation went deeper than that. _Interesting..._

Happy let out a small sigh. "Aye." Lucy, letting go of his face, offered a smile and sat back in the booth. She waited patiently, her eyes never moving off of him. Gajeel looked on as well.

He shifted his gaze back to his fish and took a deep breath before he began.

TICK.

TICK.

TICK.

Seated in a chair beside the bed, Erza gently pushed back a lock of hair that had fallen across Natsu's brow. Her troubled gaze scanned his face, looking for any indication that his consciousness would return. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he let out a quiet groan, but still his eyes refused to open. Reaching over, Erza grabbed the washcloth that had grown cool and dipped it in the bowl of warm water on the table. Wringing it out, she folded it before once again placing it gently back across his forehead. Grabbing his hand from beneath the layers of blankets covering him to help regulate his body temperature, she fought back tears for her friend. _You have to stay strong,_ she thought. _Don't give up, Natsu. We're all waiting for you._

Happy stared down at the half-eaten food in front of him as he spoke, reliving the memory as he recalled the details in his mind. "He wanted to settle things once and for all, before anyone else needed to get involved," he said quietly. "He said he didn't want to lose anyone else important to him."

Lucy and Gajeel listened quietly, not interrupting. Happy continued.

"He said he knew where to find _him_ , so he asked me to fly us there. And, in no time at all,... we did..."

 **FLASHBACK**

 _His eyes focused on the terrain ahead, Happy flew as fast as his magical wings would carry him, holding his friend by the vest. Natsu was looking straight ahead also, eyes and mind focused on the impending battle._

 _"Natsu, I think I can see them from here..."_

 _"Yeah," came the short reply._

 _Below them stood the Alvarez Army, their forces blanketing the ground like a black silk ribbon, their armour glistening in the light._

 _'That sure is a lot of people...' Happy thought to himself._

 _"Alright, here we go, Happy!"_

 _"Aye sir!," Happy cried, swooping down toward the battlefield._

 _It wasn't long after that Zeref finally appeared._

 _"Huh, you've appeared a lot quicker than I had expected," Natsu replied, not taking his eyes off of the wizard before him._

 _Zeref smirked, returning the dragonslayer's gaze. "Well, I wanted to see you as soon as possible...Natsu."_

 _"Well, we're going to be saying our goodbyes pretty quick," Natsu quipped. "Zeref."_

 _"Everyone, could I have you fall back a bit?," Zeref spoke to his soldiers, not taking his eyes off of his opponent._

 _"Happy, you too. Get out of here." Natsu warned his friend._

 _"Aye." 'Be careful Natsu,' he thought as he flew off._

 _Turning back to the Black Wizard, Natsu slowly unwrapped the bandage that covered his right forearm. Finally, he thought, all those months of training would prove its worth. All those months away from his friends, from Lucy, would be finally put to the test._

 _Allowing a small grin to play on his lips, Zeref watched as Natsu prepared himself for battle. 'Now,' he thought to himself, 'the real test begins...'_


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Fairy Tail or the characters mentioned.

Based on Chapters 463-465 of the manga "Fairy Tail"

by Hiro Mashima.

What are you fighting for?

Chapter 3

 _"You made a big mistake messing with Fairy Tail," Natsu growled, watching his opponent carefully._

 _"All of this has happened because you were unable to destroy me," Zeref answered, his tone even and features void of emotion._

 _"I never understand what comes out of that mouth of yours. Not that I really care," Natsu said, letting the bandage drop to the ground at his feet. "because I didn't come here to talk. Let's do this!"_

"The fighting was so intense. It was the hardest that Natsu had ever fought," Happy said quietly. His eyes shone bright, cheering his friend on even now. "But..." His voice trailed off. "Zeref caught him off guard and took advantage of Natsu's confusion."

"Confusion?" Lucy asked. "What could Zeref have done in the middle of a fight that would confuse Natsu so much for him to lose the upper hand?"

Gajeel chuckled. "You're really going to ask that question?" His smirk, however, faded quickly at Happy's response.

"He said he was Natsu's brother."

"WHAT?!"

* * *

TICK.

TICK.

KNOCK.

A soft knock on the door startled Erza out of her thoughts. The door opened slowly and Wendy and Carla entered the room. Carla closed the door behind them as Wendy made her way across the room to the bedside. "How is he?" she asked, studying the occupant closely.

"Still nothing. He groans occasionally, but has yet to open his eyes." Erza gently gave his hand a squeeze before rising from the chair, turning to face the young girl. "How are you feeling? Have you recovered from using your healing magic so much?"

The sky dragonslayer blushed. "Oh, I'll be okay. I have to do as much as I can to help Natsu."

The redhead smiled. "Alright, I'll get some fresh water and be back to help you change his bandages."

"Thanks Erza," Wendy said, returning the smile.

Carla looked on as the two women worked. Smiling to herself, she mused about the fact that no matter what differences the group may have, they still knew how to come together when they were needed most. _This guild really isn't so bad after all..._

A short time later the door opened again as Gray entered the room. "My turn I guess," he said, looking down at his hands in his pockets. As much as he tried to put on the tough guy act, Erza knew that the ice wizard was suffering just as much as the rest of the guild. Having finished changing bandages and adjusting the blankets around Natsu's body again, Wendy and Carla left the room and made their way toward Fairy Hills, the dormitory where they lived. The female Exceed insisted that the girl rest herself and prepare for another intense day tomorrow, so Wendy thanked them both for their help and took her leave. Just before walking through the open door, Erza paused. "Don't lose hope, Gray." And with a smile, she walked out and closed the door behind her, leaving an embarrassed Gray behind her.

"Hmph," he scoffed under his breath, moving over to the chair in the corner of the room. Looking over at his friend, his expression softened slightly. _Just don't nap too long idiot,_ he thought to himself. _We still have a score to settle when this is all over._

* * *

"Wait, did I hear you right just now? Since when does Natsu have a brother?!" Lucy and Gajeel both sat there in the booth, stunned at what Happy had just revealed. _How is that even possible?_ Her mind reeling, Lucy sat with her head in her hands before looking back at the blue Exceed.

"That's what he said. But there's more," Happy said, finally braving a glance at Lucy's face.

" _HUH?" Natsu asked, completely taken off his guard._

 _"Both of our parents were killed by a dragon attack 400 years ago... and you too, in fact."_

 _"W-What are you talking about?" Natsu froze where he stood, trying to grasp what was being told to him._

 _"I did everything I could to bring you back, and created something called the Etherious in the process," Zeref continued. "and that was you, Natsu...Etherious Natsu Dragneel...END."_

"END?" Eyes wide, Lucy was beginning to put the pieces together. But one thing didn't make sense. "But if that were really true, then why couldn't Igneel kill him back then? A powerful dragon like him could have killed Natsu easily." Gajeel didn't even have to finish that sentence, but he did anyway. "Because that powerful dragon was Natsu's father. It's not that Igneel couldn't kill him; he _wouldn't_ kill his own son."

"At first, Natsu and I didn't believe him..." Happy continued. "But then this book appeared in his hand, and it had the letters END on it. He pierced it with a shot of his magic, and then Natsu..." he paused. "For some reason, it hurt Natsu, too."

 _So that's how he got that wound on his abdomen._ The more Lucy heard, the tighter the knot in her stomach became. _What am I going to do? There must be something...!_

 _"You never were one to listen..." Zeref said, looking down at the damaged tome at his feet, ignoring the groans of agony coming from Natsu. "I asked Igneel for his help because you refused to learn to read and write. He agreed to help, although he had his own reasons as well. But that didn't really matter to me," he said, now looking Natsu in the eyes. For the first time since the battle began, emotion bubbled to the surface. "All I needed was for you to become stronger... strong enough to kill me, to give me the death that I longed for."_

 _"I've been waiting for you all this time, but 400 years is a long time to wait," Zeref spoke again, his expression still cold and empty. "And a lot has happened since then..."_

 _"SHUT UP! I DON'T BELIEVE A WORD OF ANY OF THIS!" Finally having heard enough, Natsu snapped into action. Arm back, ready to strike, he charged forward._

 _"You are a demon of the book of Zeref," the Black Wizard said, holding his ground, unwavered. A small smile had now crept across his face. "If I die..."_

Lucy let out a gasp, holding her hands to her face. _Oh no,_ she thought. _Please God, don't let it be true..._

 _If I die, you die too._

"That's when I grabbed him and flew back here. I guess he passed out some time on the way because when I tried to talk to him, he didn't answer," Happy said sadly, finally coming to the end of his story. "What are we going to do?"

"Lucy, hey Blondie!" Her eyes darted in the direction of the voice. Gajeel was already on his feet and standing next to her. "We have to let the Master know about this."

"Wait Gajeel, not yet. We still need to know more about this guy so we can save Natsu."

The iron dragonslayer frowned. "I don't like where you're going with this Blondie. If you think you're gonna try and take this guy on solo, it'll be suicide."

Lucy got up from the booth and gave him a smile. "I won't be alone," she said, touching the pouch with her keys tucked safely inside. "And I promise you, he's going to pay for what he did to Natsu." And with that, she began walking toward the door that lead to the guild hall's library. "By the way," she called back, "if you see Levy, let her know that I'm looking for her, okay?"


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you to everyone who has been reading up to this point! I appreciate your support! Today I will be publishing 2 chapters, so that I can spend the day with my family tomorrow. Have a great rest of your weekend, and I hope you enjoy!

I do not own Fairy Tail or the characters mentioned.

What are you fighting for?

Chapter 4

"Yeah, I will."

Gajeel was thankful she never turned around to look back at him; if she had, an embarrassed Gajeel would have been looking back at her. _Was it really that obvious?_ , he thought to himself. _I thought I was playing it cool._ Pushing the thought aside, he scanned the guild hall for the short mop of blue hair that he would recognize anywhere. Where he found it was at the bar, finishing off a fountain drink and chatting with Mirajane. "Oh, hi Gajeel," she said, greeting him with a smile. "How's Natsu doing? Any news yet?"

Man, how he loved that smile.

"Oi Shrimp, Blondie's lookin' for you in the library," he said abruptly, not wishing to get too personal while Mirajane stood there watching the conversation, clearly amused. "I have to take my turn babysitting, so I'll know more later." Having delivered his message, he turned and began walking back to the infirmary.

"Oh, right, okay," she answered, her smile fading a little. _Why can't he just be himself around me,_ she thought to herself. As she got up from her seat, Gajeel stopped to look at her. "Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid, alright? I've got my hands full keeping you out of trouble, Shrimp." Giving her a toothy grin, he turned and walked off, leaving Levy standing there speechless.

Mirajane chuckled. "I guess he's playing hard to get," she said, causing the script magic wizard to blush. Looking back at the bar maid, she shot her a smile and said, "Well, I guess I can't keep Lu waiting forever!" And with that, she headed off to the library to join her friend.

Lucy was already seated at one of the tables when Levy arrived, surrounded by books open to different pages and a notepad scribbled with notes in front of her. She looked up and smiled when she saw her friend approach. "Hey Lev, thanks for coming," she said, letting her furrowed eyebrows relax a bit.

"Of course Lu! I'm happy to help," Levy replied, returning the smile. Lucy was one of her closest friends in the guild, outside of Team Shadowgear, and she needed her help. "What are you working on?," she finally asked, staring at the mountain of tomes between them.

"Let's just say I found some things out that I need to confirm," the celestial wizard answered cryptically.

Levy's brows furrowed. "Um, okay," she replied, "so how can I help?"

"I need you to write a protection enchantment, one strong enough to cover the city, but most importantly the guild hall," Lucy said, looking up at her friend.

"Lucy, what's going on." Eyes narrowed at the celestial wizard, Levy was beginning to get nervous. _Is this what Gajeel was trying to warn her about?_

Lucy gave her friend a reassuring smile. "I just want to make sure we have all of our bases covered, that's all."

Choosing to believe her, Levy let out a sigh and returned the smile. "I'll have it done in no time!" she said, and off she went.

Making sure that the script wizard was gone, Lucy let out a sigh of relief. She was glad that Levy didn't press the issue; she didn't want to have to lie to her friend. Pulling out her keys, she called out in a commanding voice,

"Open, Gate of the Southern Cross, Crux!"

A flash of light, and an ancient-looking celestial spirit appeared. "Grandpa Crux, can you tell me what you know about the Black Wizard Zeref?" Lucy asked.

* * *

The infirmary door opened, and Gajeel was forced to bend down in order to maneuver his way through the entryway. Looking over at the chair in the corner, he gave a nod toward its occupant. Returning the nod, Gray rose from his seat and made his way toward the iron dragonslayer blocking the exit.

"Well?" Gajeel asked. Gray shook his head. Stepping aside, Gajeel let the ice wizard pass and watched the door close behind him.

Walking over the the bed, Gajeel put a hand to the washcloth that lay on Natsu's forehead. "Don't you think you've been napping long enough?" he asked the dragonslayer, taking it and re-wetting it in the bowl of warm water. Then, lowering his voice a bit, as he wrung it out and placed it back on Natsu's forehead, he added, "You know, Blondie's gonna try something stupid if you don't get it together quick." Taking a seat in the chair in the corner, he let out a low sigh. Looking out the window at the city outside, Gajeel's face turned to a frown. _I just hope she hasn't dragged Levy into this mess, too._

As his footsteps echoed in the hallway, Gray walked out of the infirmary and towards the library.

* * *

"Thanks for your help, Grandpa Crux," Lucy said gratefully, finishing the last of her notes about what the celestial spirit had told her. With a snore and a flash of light, the summoned spirit was gone again.

 _Now then,_ she thought, _off to find Warren._ She would need his power of telepathy if her newly-hatched plan was going to work. At this point, the fewer people she had to involve the better. She already felt bad about involving Levy in this, but she also knew that she could count on her to pull it off. The only other people that could stop her at this point were Happy and Gajeel, and with the iron dragonslayer taking his turn keeping an eye on Natsu, that left the blue Exceed as the only loose end. But Lucy didn't really consider Happy a threat to the plan; quite the opposite in fact. He was the one who would help set the plan in motion.

Reaching down to touch the leather of her key pouch resting at her side, Lucy smiled to herself. _Hold on a little longer, Natsu, I'm going to save you._ With determination in her eyes, Lucy began returning the books to their rightful place, preparing her mind for battle.

Meanwhile, in a bed near the window in the infirmary, Natsu was fighting a battle of his own.


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Fairy Tail or the characters mentioned.

Based loosely on Chapters of the manga "Fairy Tail"

by Hiro Mashima

What are you fighting for?

Chapter 5

A soft knock on the Master's office door brought Makarov out of his thoughts. "Come."

The knob turned, and as the door opened he was greeted by Erza's voice. "Reporting in on Natsu's condition. There has been no change, Master."

"And Happy?" he inquired.

"He still isn't talking about it, to my knowledge. I am sorry, Master."

Sighing, he looked up at the requip wizard. "No need to apologize. Thank you Erza. Now go get some rest. I will call for everyone when I am ready."

"Yes Master," she said, backing out of the office and closing the door quietly behind her.

Looking back at the desk he let out a sigh again, his face troubled.

* * *

TICK.

TICK.

TICK.

The sound seemed to go on forever in the darkness. Natsu tried to run toward it, but it became impossible to tell where it was coming from. _What is this place? Where is everyone?_ Frustrated, he let out a growl. "Can anyone hear me?" he called.

No answer.

"Happy! Where are you buddy?!"

Silence.

...Natsu...

Gasping, Natsu spun around. He knew that voice anywhere.

"...Dad?"

...Natsu...You must choose...

"What are you talking about, Dad?" he called. "I don't understand. Dad!"

* * *

"Warren! Just the person I wanted to see," Lucy called as the young wizard came into view.

The telepathy wizard had just gotten back from a job, and was sitting at a table alone near the bar, enjoying his first home-cooked meal in days. As the celestial wizard walked over, he looked at her in surprise. "Lucy! What are you doing here? I thought you would be at the infirmary with Natsu."

"I need a favor, Warren," she said, getting straight to the point. "Do you think you can use your telepathy to find someone for me?"

"Sure, that's easy," he replied. "Who are you trying to find?"

"Zeref," she answered.

Warren's eyes grew wide. "Are you serious?" he gasped.

And then his expression changed to one of concern. "Does the Master know anything about this?"

"Not yet, and I want to keep it that way for now."

The wizard looked down at her, silent.

"Please, Warren. I'm doing this for Natsu."

Warren let out a sigh. "Alright. What do you want me to say?"

Back at the site of his battle with Natsu, Zeref let out a small chuckle, a twisted smile on his face.

"Very well," he said to the person speaking to him telepathically. "Let my challenger know that I accept."

Taking his hand down from his temple, Warren gave Lucy a nod. "Everything has been arranged."

"Thank you Warren," she said, reaching up and giving him a quick hug.

The young man blushed. "Well, just be careful, okay?"

"I will," she said with a smile, and walked out of the guild hall.

Warren's worried gaze followed her as the heavy wooded doors closed behind her. Sitting back down in his chair, he put his head in his hands and let the tears fall one by one. _What have I done,_ he thought.

* * *

Gajeel looked up from his seat at the sound of Natsu beginning to stir. Getting up and walking over to the side of the bed, he scanned his face for assurance that he wasn't hearing things. "Oi, you say something, Firefly?" he said, a small grin on his face.

"...Dad..." Natsu muttered.

The grin on Gajeel's face faded. _This isn't good,_ he thought. _I know Blondie doesn't want anyone else to know, but now I have no choice. He may not make it at this rate._

Just then Levy walked in. "Gajeel?" she said quietly, worry in her voice. "Do you know what Lucy is planning to do?"

"Levy!" he looked over at her in surprise. Hearing the emotion in her voice, his expression quickly changed to concern. "What did Blondie say to you?"

"Nothing really," she replied. "All she wanted was to ask me to write a protection enchantment for the city and the guild hall."

Gajeel's eyes widened. _Oh no._

"Damn!"

"Gajeel?" Levy asked, her uneasiness escalating.

"Go and get the Master. Now."

* * *

Now back at her apartment, Lucy took what would possibly be her last look at her belongings. Her eyes moved slowly from one object to the next, taking in every detail and committing it to her memory. If she would not get the chance to return to this place, she wanted to keep it with her always.

Her vision blurred slightly as her eyes settled on a sketching that Reedus had given to her shortly after she joined Fairy Tail. It was a picture of everyone sitting together at a table inside the guild hall, laughing and toasting each other. Natsu and Happy were smiling and looking at something that Lucy had been showing them in the book she was holding. She couldn't remember what it was now, but that grin and those eyes he had when he looked at her warmed Lucy's heart. All of her dear friends, she wanted to remember them just like that. Wiping a tear from her cheek, she shut off the light and closed the door behind her.

"Lucy?" Happy asked when she got to the bottom of the stairs of the apartment building. "Are you really sure you want to go through with this?"

The wizard paused as her hand grasped the door handle. If she were being honest with herself, she would have admitted that she had no idea if she wanted to do this. But she really didn't see any other option. Lucy couldn't bear the thought of losing anyone else that she cared about, and this was the only way she knew to keep that from happening. "Yes, Happy," she replied, her resolve etched on her face. "This is for all of us." Turning to look at him, she gave him a gentle smile. "Let's do this Happy!" she cried as she opened the door and stepped out into the light.

"Aye sir!" he shouted, picking her up and taking to the sky.

"I'm all fired up now!" she yelled.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"That damn girl," Makarov cursed under his breath, looking down at the floor in front of him. "I should have known something was going on in that mind of hers."

"We all should have," Erza answered with a scowl. The requip wizard felt absolutely sick to her stomach, knowing that they all had been played for fools.

 _'Master! Please, you have to hurry. I think Lucy is in trouble!'_

After Levy had rushed up the stairs to the Master's office to relay what Gajeel had told her, Makarov immediately called for everyone to meet them in Natsu's room. There, Gajeel told them what he and Lucy had found out from Happy, and his suspicions about what she planned to do next. After the initial shock had worn off, they all had to admit that the dots were not that hard to connect. Not when they knew what was at stake.

Gray stood silently against the wall, hands in his pockets, listening to the others talk. It really shouldn't have been that difficult to realize what Lucy was planning; after all, next to Happy she was the closest person to Natsu in the guild. But, then again, it took him spying on her in the library to realize the extent she was willing to go for him. Gray was fairly certain Natsu was the only one she would go to such lengths for...

Wendy stood at Natsu's side, again treating his battle-worn body with her healing spell. He now showed at least some signs of life, and she took that as an indication that things were beginning to look up. There was no way she would give up now.

The muscles in Natsu's face began to twitch as his mumbling became louder.

"...Dad...Dad..."

"Hold him down," Erza said to Gajeel, grabbing one of Natsu's arms as he took hold of the other, pressing them firmly down on the bed. "We don't want him to try thrashing around."

"Almost...done..." Wendy said, laboring under the strain of using her magic. Carla wiped the sweat from her friend's brow as she worked. Her teeth clenched together, the sky dragonslayer refused to give in to her fatigue. After a few days of resting quietly and Wendy's healing magic, his wounds were finally closed, but they did not want to run the risk of them opening again.

Finally, Natsu's body relaxed, and his face no longer looked strained. Certain that his fit was over, everyone let out a sigh of relief and let go of his arms.

"So now what," Gajeel growled, scanning the faces in the room. "We can't just let her go and face him alone."

"That's odd," Carla said suddenly, "I haven't seen the tom cat for quite some time now."

"Great," Makarov sighed. "Any ideas as to where they would have gone, Gajeel?"

Just then, Warren barged into the room. "Master, there is something you should know." 

" _I wish to speak with the Black Wizard Zeref," Warren announced across the brain waves._

" _How dare you address His Majesty in that manner!" one of the soldiers shouted angrily. "Identify yourself!"_

" _I am merely a messenger, a wizard of the Fairy Tail guild," he responded. "Lord Zeref, in order to avoid any unnecessary bloodshed, one of our wizards wishes to challenge you to a duel for the fate of the dragon slayer Natsu Dragneel."_

" _Is that so?" Zeref answered. Could there be another that rivals Natsu's power, he thought. "What are the conditions?" he asked._

" _The challenger requests that you appear at Tenrou Island, at the grave of Mavis Vermillion, alone. The victor decides what will happen to Natsu. No soldiers are to step foot within the city's border until then. The battle will begin as soon as both wizards are present."_

A shocked silence filled the room.

"W-What did you say?" Erza gasped. Of all the things Warren could have told them, no one could have expected this.

"Damn fool," Gajeel cursed under his breath. "I told her not to face him alone."

"But why Tenrou Island?" Carla asked.

"Maybe she's thinking about using her location to her advantage," Gray theorized. "It is the guild's sacred ground, after all."

"Even so, Lu still doesn't stand a chance against Zeref alone!" Levy cried, head in her hands.

"We have to stop her!" Wendy shouted. Carla nodded in agreement.

"But you'll never make it in time," Warren said in despair. "The battle has likely already begun by now."

"We have to try," Erza spoke, fists clenched at her sides. "She will need our support."

"Foolish children of mine," the Master said, shaking his head. "I cannot risk any more of your lives to that monster."

"Master!" Erza cried in disbelief.

"I will not allow it!" he answered, silencing the room. "We have no other choice but to carry out our part of the plan for now. Levy, keep working on the enchantment. Get Freed to help you if you need it. Cast it as soon as it is ready. Wendy and Carla will take the next watch with Natsu. The rest of you, do me a favor and go back to your rooms. There is nothing more that can be done here." He softened his gaze as he looked at the concerned faces around him. "All we can do now is have faith."

As everyone slowly filed out of the room, Wendy suddenly spoke up. "Um, Warren?" she asked quietly. "Could you stay behind for a few minutes? I have an idea."

* * *

As the first glimpse of Tenrou Island came into view on the horizon, Lucy felt her breath catch in her throat. This was where she had attempted to help her friend Cana pass the S-Class trials, and as fate would have it, where she would spend 7 years of her life, along with many of her other friends and Master Makarov. And ironically, it was also the place they first encountered the Black Wizard. Now, she was coming to the island once again to face him for what she hoped would be the last time.

With the island quickly approaching, she glanced up at her traveling companion. "Listen Happy," she said as calmly as she could, "when we get there, I want you to drop me off and head back to the guild."

"No way," Happy answered firmly. "I'm staying here with you."

"I'll be alright, I promise," she replied, reaching up to rub behind his ear. "Besides," she added, "It will be your turn to sit with Natsu soon. He'll need you there when he wakes up."

Blinking away tears, Happy nodded. "Aye sir," he managed to choke out. He felt torn about leaving his friend behind, but he told himself he had to have faith in her.

Setting her down carefully at the base of Mavis' grave, Happy looked Lucy in the eyes, searching for a hint of her changing her mind. When he found none, he gave her a quick hug before turning to fly away. Looking back one last time, he could see her looking up at him as well, holding her hand high above her head, thumb out and index finger pointed up to the sky above her. Eyes now overflowing with tears, Happy flew as fast as he could back towards Fairy Tail.

A sudden swirling of black smoke forced Lucy to shift her focus downward, away from the retreating Exceed. In a matter of moments, her opponent showed himself at last.

"Well, this is an unexpected surprise," Zeref said, a small smile playing across his face. "The resemblance of the Heartfilia women is remarkable."

Immediately, the young wizard reached for the whip at her side. "My name is _Lucy_ , and I didn't come here to talk."

Zeref's smile widened.

"Seems I've heard that somewhere before."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

... _Natsu...you must...choose..._

"Dad, I don't understand!" Natsu called again. "Choose what? IGNEEL!"

 _Natsu..._

Just then a second voice broke through the darkness, instantly putting Natsu on his guard. He knew that voice too. _Zeref,_ he thought.

 _Natsu...what are you fighting for?..._

The sudden question caused him to pause. _What was he talking about?_ He never questioned what his purpose for fighting was. Although, he never really thought about it before. Someone would challenge him and he would accept, or vice versa. It didn't really matter who it was; whether it was a friend or enemy, if the opportunity presented itself, he took it. So, why did it matter so much now?

"What am I fighting for?" he repeated. "For the guild. To be stronger."

 _So you only fight for honor?_ Zeref's voice inquired again.

"Well," Natsu began. "I fight for the guild because they are my family. I want to protect them. I cannot do that without becoming stronger." He paused and added quietly, "I want to protect her."

* * *

Her hand still on her whip, Lucy reached for her keys with her other hand, her eyes never straying from her opponent. "Let's do this," she said, her brown eyes blazing.

Zeref remained still, not making any move to attack her.

 _Alright,_ she thought, _if he won't make the first move, then I will._ Pulling out her keys from their pouch, she raised two of the gold ones high and in a commanding voice called out,

"Open, gates of the lion and archer! Leo! Sagittarius!"

In a flash of light, the two zodiac spirits stood before her. Looking around, a look of confusion crossed Loke's face as he was the first to speak. "Uh Lucy, who exactly are we supposed to be fighting here?"

Turning around, confusion turned to shock and then terror as they realized at whom Lucy was pointing. "Lucy, you have to get out of here!" Loke pleaded, grabbing her by the shoulders. "If he attacks you, he's going to kill you!"

"No Loke," Lucy said firmly, looking the lion spirit in the eyes. "We have to do this. I don't have any other choice."

"Lucy..." Blinking away tears, he turned once again to face their opponent. "Very well," he said, glancing over at Sagittarius. "You ready, friend?"

"Yes indeedie," the spirit archer said, bow drawn and staring down the Black Wizard.

"Alright," Lucy said, unfurling her whip and cracking it at her side. "I'm all fired up now."

* * *

A cruel laugh echoed in the darkness.

" _Protect? Do you think you can protect them from yourself?" Zeref taunted. "Everything they thought they knew about you was a lie."_

"I have never lied to my friends," Natsu growled.

" _Your very existence has been a lie! You are Etherious Natsu Dragneel, a demon that I created! A means to finally bring about my demise. And I shall be the means to yours in the process."_

"No!" Natsu yelled back. "I made a promise to protect everyone. And I promised Igneel I would get that precious book of yours, no matter what."

" _You can protect no one if you will not even fight for your own life," Zeref said coldly._

 _Suddenly, an image of the book of END appeared at Natsu's feet. But to his disappointment, when he reached for it, he could not touch it. It was only a projection in his subconscious._

" _The book I possess holds the very life source of END," the wizard continued. "When I pierced it with my magic, it caused the demon seed within you to grow, beginning the process of fusing with your human soul. When that happens, the full power of END will awaken," Zeref paused, relishing the despair Natsu must be feeling. "When that happens, there will be no one who can stop you from killing everything in your path, friend or enemy."_

* * *

"Although I'm not surprised, I must admit I am disappointed," Zeref said calmly, looking at the struggling wizard before him. "I had hoped you could give me the battle that Natsu could not."

The battle had gone just has she expected, to her dismay. Despite using nearly every celestial spirit in her possession, Lucy was the only one showing signs of fatigue. Zeref appeared to be merely toying with her, countering her attacks with a wave of his hand and attacking with magic she had never seen even in the farthest reaches of her imagination. She truly was no match for him, and now she knew it all too well. But there was no way she could give up, not yet.

Lucy, kneeling on the ground, her body laboring with each breath, looked back at him fiercely. "You'll pay for that." Struggling to her feet, the celestial wizard prepared herself for battle once more. "Now tell me what you did to him!"

"Ah, so that's what you so desperately wish to know," Zeref mused, shooting a fireball in her direction. Lucy threw herself to the ground, narrowly missing the attack. She cried out in pain as the solid earth seemed to rush up to meet her. "Your efforts are in vain," he continued, "we cannot escape our fate."

"We'll see about that," she muttered, too weak to stand again.

"I am the proof of it!" his voice becoming irritated. Suddenly, a book appeared in the wizard's hand. Lucy noticed the letters written on the cover. And she also saw the hole going through the center of it. It made her insides burn with anger. "Don't you see?," Zeref continued, "Natsu's only reason for living is to kill me. That is the fate of END. To think otherwise is a fool's folly."

"That's not true!" she cried. "Natsu isn't END!"

A cruel chuckle rang in her ears as she heard his footsteps approach. "Do you truly believe that Lucy? Everything you know about Natsu is a lie! You have no more reason to protect him from me. To continue to defy me will only bring about your death as well, Heartfilia or otherwise." Now standing before her, Zeref bent down and grabbed a fistful of her hair, causing her to cry out in pain as he lifted her to his eye level, forcing her to look at his face. "So tell me, _Lucy,_ what are you fighting for?"

* * *

Sorry everyone. I know that this chapter was just begging for a battle sequence, but I just didn't know how to write it to do it the justice it deserved. After some thought however, I have decided to write it and publish it as a bonus chapter for those of you who are interested in reading it. Also, since I haven't said it before, feel free to leave me a review about what you think of the story so far! And thank you to those of you who have already reviewed my story! Your support is appreciated!


	8. The promised Battle Scene!

"Alright," Lucy said, unfurling her whip and cracking it at her side. "I'm all fired up now."

Zeref took his fighting stance.

Adjusting his sunglasses, Loke stepped forward. "Guess I'll start this party off," he said. Bending his right arm with clenched fist pointed toward the sky, he grabbed his bicep with his left hand and shouted, "Lion Brilliance!" An immense light surrounded them, flooding the area with its blinding brilliance. Zeref shielded his eyes from the attack. "Now, Sagittarius!" Lucy shouted.

The archer let loose his arrow, sending it toward its target with lightning speed.

At the last possible moment, Zeref jumped out of the arrow's path.

"My turn," he said.

Holding out his hands in front of him, a sphere of black energy appeared in each hand an grew to the size of a volleyball. Lucy then heard a crackling sound as what appeared to be dark lightning charges encased the dark globes. Throwing them at the trio, one of the balls of dark magic cut through Loke's chest and the other took off Sagittarius' shooting arm. Lucy was forced to duck as the black orbs passed through the spirits and bore a deep hole into the trees behind her. Apologizing for their lack of strength, Loke and Sagittarius disappeared, returning to the Celestial World to heal.

Before Lucy realized what had just happened, she was grabbed by the waist and pulled down into the ground by Virgo. "Are you going to punish me now, Princess?" she asked with a bow. "Virgo! Am I glad to see you," Lucy cried with a smile. "Help me take this guy down." "As you wish, Princess," the Maiden spirit replied, helping Lucy out of the hole and awaited her next command. Grabbing out two more keys, Lucy summoned again. "Aries! Taurus! Let's do this, you guys!"

A flash of light and the two stood before her. Lucy looked over at Virgo. "Use your Chain Magic, Virgo! Aries, we need a distraction. Taurus, you do what you do best!"

"Right!" the three said in unison.

Taurus rushed forward, the giant axe he carried ready to strike his opponent. Aries, still looking a bit timid, looked over at Lucy. "I need you Aries," Lucy said quietly with a smile. That was all the ram spirit needed to hear; turning back to the fight, she threw her first attack. "Wool Bomb!" Soon Zeref was surrounded by the pink smoke-like wool, making it impossible for him to see his attackers. "Rampage!" Taurus shouted, as he took a mighty swing with his battle axe, while at the same time Virgo lashed out with the chains around her wrists, hoping to land an attack on the wizard. To Lucy's surprise, Aries also jumped into the fray, attacking with a flying kick. Miraculously, however, Zeref was still able to evade.

Jumping back to put some distance between them, black smoke began gathering at his feet and rose up around him. "Death Predation," she said in a low voice, as the smoke cloud went out from him like a giant wave of destruction. "Watch out!" Lucy cried as she jumped back into the hole Virgo created, but she couldn't warn her friends in time. All three celestial spirits were taken out by the attack, and were forced to retreat to the Celestial World as well.

Clawing her way back out of her foxhole, Lucy's eyes widened in shock. Her friends had disappeared, and everything around the wizard had withered and died. _What kind of magic is this?_ She looked back at Zeref in disbelief. He had already defeated 5 of her Celestial Spirits and didn't appear to even break a sweat. Rising to her feet once again, she forced herself to focus. _I haven't given up yet,_ she reminded herself, as she again reached for her keys.

"Capricorn! Scorpio!"

"Alright, this is going to be wicked!" the scorpion spirit said, preparing his attack. "Sand Buster!"

"It would seem he likes to keep his distance," the goat spirit commented, straightening his tie. "I shall have to get up close and personal with this one." Ready for battle, Capricorn charged toward Zeref.

"You would be wise not to try that tactic again," Zeref replied, effortlessly dodging the attacks and shooting a Fire Bullet into Capricorn's back. Crying out in pain, he turned to Lucy and said, "Forgive me, Miss Lucy..." as he faded back to the Spirit World. Zeref fired three more Fire Bullets in Lucy's direction, but they were blocked by Scorpio's Sand Wall. Just as Scorpio dropped the wall, Zeref appeared on the other side and took him out with a barrage of Fire Bullets. Two more Celestial Spirits down.

Lucy fell to her knees, gasping for breath. She was using way too much magic power all at once. Lucy glanced down at her keys. She was running out of options; Aquarius' key had been broken, and Cancer wouldn't stand a chance. That only left...

"Although I'm not surprised, I must admit I am disappointed," Zeref said calmly, looking at the struggling wizard before him. "I had hoped you could give me the battle that Natsu could not."

* * *

Thank you everyone who reviewed so far! I know this chapter was quite a bit shorter than my others, but all things considered, Lucy wouldn't be much of a fight for Zeref in the first place. Not to say that Lucy or her spirits are weak, but this is Zeref, and it would do him an injustice if she were to give him too much trouble. Besides, Lucy does her best work when she uses her brain to get the upper hand. *wink*


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"So, do you think it will work?" Wendy asked.

Warren looked down at Natsu's face, the dragonslayer's features strained in obvious discomfort. With determination, he looked back at the girl. "We have to try." Putting one hand to his temple and the other to Natsu's, he closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. _Alright Lucy,_ he thought to himself, straining to pick up the battle with his telepathy. _You're his last hope now._

* * *

A small smile found its way onto Lucy's bloodied lips.

"What's so funny?" he demanded, not expecting her sudden change in demeanor.

She thought about the phrase that stuck in her head before responding. _We cannot escape our fate._

"Weren't you once trying to escape your fate, too?"

"What are you talking about?" Zeref asked. Taken aback by the question, he released her from his grip, letting her drop back to her knees.

"I have lost people close to me as well," she said quietly, struggling to speak between breaths, "so I know what you must have been going through. You just want things to go back to the way they were. But that just isn't possible."

Zeref's eyes widened, but he remained silent. Slowly, he backed away from her, his heart pounding in his chest.

"When you try to right the wrongs of the past, there is no guarantee that things will turn out the way that you planned." Slowly, she attempted to stand once more. "Natsu is not the brother you lost all those years ago. That little boy is gone! The Natsu that's here now has always been true to who he is; he's violent, stubborn, and straightforward, but he is also kind, loyal, and strong. And most importantly," she said, finally on her feet and looking him straight in the eye, "he is someone very precious to me." Feeling a renewed strength surge up within her, she rallied for one final attack. Reaching into her key pouch, she pulled out her last remaining spirit key. "What he is not," she cried fiercely, "is one of your demons who will share your miserable fate!" Bringing the key to her chest, she shouted, "He is a human! He is Natsu of Fairy Tail!"

Just then, the book Zeref had been holding began to crumble and fall at his feet in a pile of dust. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" he screamed at the celestial wizard.

Now raising her key above her head, she cried out, "And I'm fighting to make sure you never hurt the people I love ever again! Open, gate of the twins! Gemini!"

Zeref's onyx eyes now glowed red with his rage as he raised his hands to his chest, one above the other, palms facing each other. A sphere of bright light appeared and quickly grew to fill the space between them. "Playtime's over, fairy. This. Ends. Now."

* * *

Phrases in italics with no quotation marks – Igneel's voice, unless otherwise noted.  
Phrases in italics with single quotation marks – Zeref's voice  
Phrases in italics with double quotation marks – Lucy's voice

Natsu's mind was reeling, no longer processing the information Zeref had given him. He couldn't believe what was being told to him. _This isn't real,_ he kept thinking. _It's just a lie he's telling me._

 _'Your very existence is a lie! You are Etherious Natsu Dragneel, a demon I created!'_

 _I have to do something,_ he thought. _But what?_

… _You have to choose..._

 _'When I pierced the book with my magic, it caused the demon seed within you to grow, beginning the process of fusing with your human soul...'_

 _...Demon...or Human..._

Natsu felt himself giving in to the despair he was feeling. "So this is it for me..."

 _'We cannot escape our fate...'_

" _Weren't you once trying to escape your fate, too?"_

Natsu gasped as a third voice reached his ears. "Lucy," he breathed, praying he wasn't imagining it.

" _Natsu is not the brother you lost all those years ago. That little boy is gone!"_

He couldn't believe it; her voice was real. But where was it coming from? And why was she talking to Zeref?

" _He's not one of your demons who will share your miserable fate! He is a human! He is Natsu of Fairy Tail!"_

At that moment, the demon seed trying to fuse with Natsu's soul began to crumble and turn to dust. Natsu had made his choice at last.

Feeling his strength and resolve returning, Natsu ran toward the sound of her voice. "I heard you Lucy!" he cried.

* * *

With a loud gasp, Natsu sat straight up and opened his eyes wide. His body was covered in bruises and had a large bandage across his abdomen. Confused, he looked around him and realized he was in the infirmary. The afternoon light coming in from the window shone on his face and caused him to squint and shield his eyes. Suddenly feeling light-headed from sitting up too quickly, Natsu closed his eyes and lay back against the pillows again with a groan.

The sound of what he thought was a door opening and voices calling his name made him glad to open them again however, as Erza, Levy, Wendy, Carla, and even Gray and Gajeel rushed to his bedside to express their relief. Warren stood in the corner and smiled at the touching reunion.

But then, the smiles quickly faded. "Where's Lucy and Happy?" Natsu asked, looking around the room .

Each of his guild mates looked from one to the other. Finally, Erza stepped forward. "Natsu..."

"Your cat told Blondie and me everything." Gajeel cut in. "When she found out he roughed you up like that, she challenged Zeref to a duel out on Tenrou Island. That's why she ain't here right now."

 _So when he heard Lucy's voice just now...?_

"Sh-She did _what?_ But she was here...I heard her voice. _"_

"I asked Warren to use his telepathy to link you with her, to see if it would help bring you around," Wendy said. "The things you heard Lucy say were happening at the same time she was saying them."

"Warren," Erza said, addressing the telepathy wizard in the corner. "You're still keeping tabs on the battle, are you not? How is Lucy doing?"

Nodding, Warren put his hand to his head, and after a moment lowered it again. "She's weak, but still alive. Honestly I can't believe she lasted this long. I'm pretty sure I heard her summoning Gemini. She must be preparing to finish things with this last spell."

All the color drained from Natsu's face. _She doesn't have enough magic power for that now. If she tries to use it when she's this weak..._

"We have to go save her!" he cried, throwing the blankets off and swinging his feet to the floor.

"But Master has forbade any of us from leaving," Levy said sadly, looking at her hands.

Natsu clenched his fists at his sides, struggling to keep his voice calm. "I don't care what Gramps said. We can't just leave her there."

"And how do you plan on getting there, idiot? Take a boat?"

"Don't be stupid, Gray. Happy can fly us there."

"Happy's not here either, you moron!"

"What did you call me, snow cone?!"

"ENOUGH!"

Just then, the door crashed open and a blue ball of fur flew across the room, nearly knocking Natsu back in bed. "Hey Happy! Good to see you little buddy," Natsu said with a big grin.

Happy looked up at his friend, eyes blinded by the tears that were flowing from them. "NATSU!" he cried. Everyone else in the room looked on silently, smiling at the pair. Suddenly, Happy's eyes grew wide. "Lucy!"

"I know. Will you help me bring her home?"

"Aye sir!" Happy replied with a big grin.

"Carla and I will go with you," Wendy volunteered. "I can heal her with my sky magic."

Gajeel looked down, hiding the small grin on his face. "Guess Lily better go with you too. Two people is way too much for your cats to handle on their own."

Warren stepped forward. "I will stay here and use my telepathy to keep you all connected to the battle until you arrive."

"But what if Master finds out?" Levy asked nervously.

"I'll handle things with the Master," Erza answered. "Besides," she added, "Natsu's right. We can't just abandon her in her hour of need."

Natsu pounded his fists together in anticipation. "All right! Now I've got a fire in my belly! Let's do this you guys!," he shouted over his shoulder. "Aye sir!" Happy cried as he and Natsu dashed out of the room and down the hall. Wendy and Carla were right behind them. They would have to grab Lily on their way.

"Keep it down, you idiots! Do you want to get caught?" Gray called, but it was no use. Natsu wasn't listening.

 _Hang in there Lucy,_ he thought. _I'm on my way._


	10. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9_

A flash of light and a pair of small blue creatures stood at her side. "Piri piri?" they asked.

Gasping for breath, Lucy extended her arm toward the spirit. "Are you ready, Gemini?"

A puff of white smoke and an exact copy of Lucy appeared in their place. "Ready Lucy!" she said, reaching out to touch Lucy's hand.

Palms together, the two Lucys lowered their heads and closed their eyes. A large golden magic circle appeared beneath their feet as they began the spell.

* * *

Flying as fast as their wings could carry them, the Exceed trio, along with Natsu and Wendy, were quickly approaching Tenrou Island. As the small mass of land finally came into view, Natsu suddenly gasped. Through Warren's telepathy, Lucy's voice reached them.

 _Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens..._  
 _All the stars, far and wide..._

"Oh no," Wendy cried. "She's already started the spell!"

 _Show me thy appearance..._  
 _With such shine._

"Hurry Happy!" Natsu shouted to his friend.

"I'm trying!" he yelled back.

 _Oh Tetrabiblos..._  
 _I am the ruler of the stars..._

Natsu's heart began to race. _She's really going to use it?!_

 _Aspect become complete..._  
 _Open thy malevolent gate._

" _We're not going to make it in time!," Lily shouted._

* * *

The magical energy swirled about them as Lucy and Gemini recited the incantation. There was no turning back now; Lucy swore to herself that she would put everything she had into this last attack. Win or lose, she would know she did everything she could to protect him.

Meanwhile, the shining light between Zeref's hands grew in intensity, enveloping the area in an eerie golden glow. The Black Wizard was no longer treating this as a mere amusement; she had angered him, and now she would pay dearly for inciting his wrath.

"Oh 88 Stars of the heaven...Shine!"

"This is the end, Lucy Heartfilia!" Zeref shouted menacingly.

Looking up at her opponent, the gold-colored magic circle appeared on Lucy's eye as she and Gemini spoke the last phrase of the spell.

Pressing his palms together as if to pray, he was one word away from sending the celestial wizard to her death.

 _ **Urano Metria!**_

 _ **LAW!**_

The light and force from the explosion was incredibly intense. So strong in fact, that Natsu and the others were forced to shield themselves from the resulting blast. When the wave of energy finally passed, they rushed to the scene of the battle. When they came upon their friend at last, they stood for a moment in shock at the sight that greeted them. All of the grass in the area seemed to be scorched, and the trees were withered and bare. Natsu recognized this from the time he first encountered Zeref on the island, during the S-Class trials. That realization only made him more concerned for his friend. The air was deathly quiet; not even the sound of the breeze could be heard moving through the barren foliage. And at the epicenter, two figures lay motionless face-down on the ground. The five friends were only able to utter one word in their shock.

" _ **LUCY!"**_

* * *

"Natsu..."

Lucy heard his voice just now; she was sure of it. She didn't understand why she felt certain his presence was near; she just had this feeling, and she couldn't shake it...

As she lay on the hard ground, lacking the strength to even raise her head, Lucy struggled to stay conscious. Her ears were pounding with the sound of what she thought was her heartbeat before she realized they were footsteps quickly approaching her. Then she felt herself roll over, as she was now looking up at the cloud-covered sky above her. She thought she heard a voice, but she couldn't understand what it was telling her. Unable to hold on any longer, her vision began to blur. As her eyes slowly closed, the last thing she remembered seeing was the image of her friends' faces looking down at her before she passed out.

* * *

Next chapter: The Conclusion to "What Are You Fighting For?"


	11. The Conclusion!

Chapter 10

TICK.

TICK.

TICK.

The next time Lucy opened her eyes, she had no idea how much time had passed. Instead of lying on the hard ground, she found herself in one of the beds at the infirmary. She didn't get much time to notice anything else before a voice beside her greeted her.

"Hey, you're finally awake."

She turned her head and smiled over at the guy sitting in the chair next to her. "Natsu..." Lucy said, relief in her voice.

He ran a hand through his pink hair as he returned the smile. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Okay, I think," she answered, although when she tried to sit up she winced in pain.

"Woah, don't push yourself," he said gently, grabbing her arm to help support her. Helping her sit up, Natsu carefully put some extra pillows behind her to help prop her up. "That better?"

"Yes, thank you," she answered, trying to hide the blush that had crept into her cheeks. Looking around the room, she realized that the rest of her friends were there as well, all smiling and happy to see her. She also noticed she was wearing a pair of soft cotton pajamas instead of the clothes she had on earlier. "How long have I been here?" she asked.

Just then, Master Makarov stormed in, Mirajane right on his heels. Ignoring the shocked faces staring at him, he stalked right over to the bed. "What were you thinking!? Of all the crazy fool things to do... I have come to expect this level of irresponsibility from Natsu, but you Lucy..."

"What's that supposed to mean, Gramps!"

"That was a very reckless thing to do Lucy," Erza said sternly. Then, her voice softening, she added, "but you were also very brave to face Zeref alone."

"Pretty stupid if you ask me," Gajeel grumbled, before quickly being silenced by Levy.

"Hey, it's not like I didn't have a plan you know!" Lucy retorted in her defense.

"That was pretty smart to use the protection of the Tenrou Tree to keep you from dying," Levy said, giving her friend a smile.

Gray scoffed at her from the corner. "You got lucky, that's all. Taking a chance betting on his emotions was a big risk. Had your instincts been wrong..."

"But they weren't," she said, cutting him off. She knew better than any of them how fortunate she was to be alive right now.

 _When Natsu and the others finally reached Lucy, she didn't even have the strength to raise her head to look at them. Lily got there first and called to Happy to help him get her to her back. Natsu knelt in front of his friend, supporting her head and neck as they moved her. Tears filled his eyes as he looked at her. 'Lucy, hey, stay with me Lucy,' he told her as he watched her eyes slowly close. He carefully tucked a lock of hair behind her ear that had fallen on her face. 'You're gonna be okay. Just hang in there, alright? We're gonna take you home,' he said quietly, trying to stay calm. While Carla checked to make sure Lucy still had a pulse, Wendy fell to her knees beside her and immediately began healing the celestial wizard with her sky magic. Lily and Happy looked on helplessly as the young girl worked, unable to do anything except hold Lucy's other hand that lay limp at her side._

 _Just then, the other motionless body on the ground suddenly began to stir. Wendy looked up from what she was doing and let out a gasp. Lily instantly went on the offensive, entering his battle form, ready to engage the enemy. Natsu jumped up and moved to shield Lucy and the others behind him as well. Happy grabbed a nearby rock and jumped in front of Carla. Carla raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing._

 _Slowly, Zeref rose to his feet. Clutching his side and breathing heavily, he turned to look at the group who had surrounded Lucy. Lily reached for the hilt of the sword on his back, and Natsu clenched his fists as they erupted in flames, both anticipating another attack from the Black Wizard. However, Zeref only offered a small smile to the celestial wizard. Shifting his gaze to Natsu, he said simply, "When she wakes up, tell her that you have escaped your fate." Turning his back on the wizard, Zeref paused. "It truly is remarkable," he said over his shoulder. "The Heartfilia women's strength really does lie in their ability to love." "I will keep my word," he said as he turned to walk away. At that moment, a cloud of darkness rose up around him. When a gentle breeze lifted it away, Zeref was gone._

Mirajane smiled. "So that's how you beat him?"

Lucy nodded. "When he cast Law, he was so... emotional. I guess he must have targeted my feelings rather than me personally."

"However, when he targeted your feelings, he also ended up taking damage because he was experiencing those same feelings as well," Erza finished. "Combine that with Urano Metria, and you gave him a pretty impressive battle."

"Why did you challenge him, Lucy? You could have gotten yourself killed."

Everyone's eyes turned to her expectantly. Lucy looked down as gripped the blanket on her lap tightly, refusing to look Natsu in the eye. Natsu held his gaze, watching her face intensely.

"I had to do something, Natsu. I... I couldn't bear the thought of not having you around anymore."

Natsu's eyes widened, clearly shocked by what she had said. "What are you saying?"

This time, she bravely looked up at him. "Natsu, I..."

Everyone's eyes grew wide, realizing what they were possibly about to witness.

And then suddenly, Lucy's expression changed. "I'm not saying another word until you tell me why you just up and left for a whole year without even saying goodbye!"

All of the spectators let out a disappointed sigh.

Natsu gulped loudly. He was definitely not expecting to have to answer that question right now, especially with all of these people around. But he needed to know. And she deserved to know the truth.

Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly and put his hands on hers. "Lucy," he said quietly, looking straight into her big brown eyes, "I left to get stronger so that I could protect the people I care about the most in this world."

"I still don't understand why you just left me that silly letter instead of talking to me." Her voice shook, betraying the emotions she was trying desperately to hold back. All of the lonesomeness, the worry, the hurt she felt back then... it all came rushing back. "You never gave me the chance to say goodbye to _you._ "

Natsu looked at her in suprise. "I'm sorry Lucy," he said quietly. "I never meant to hurt you. But I didn't say goodbye because I didn't want to. I never want to say goodbye to you, Lucy."

Lucy's breath caught in her chest. "You don't?"

Natsu gave her a grin as he leaned in closer. "Nope," he said.

Lucy's heart was racing by this point. "What are you saying?" she breathed.

Natsu raised his eyebrows at her.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized what Natsu was trying to say. "Natsu..."

"THEY LOOOOOOOVE EACH OTHER!"

"HAAAAAAPPYYYY!" Everyone cried.

"You idiot!" Carla screamed at him, chasing him around the room.

"I'm sorry Carla, please forgive me!" Happy cried, running away from her.

Natsu and Lucy laughed. Then, putting her hand in his, Lucy smiled at Natsu and said quietly, "I never want to say goodbye either."

* * *

Thank you so much to everyone for all of your support! I hope you enjoyed reading my first story as much as I did writing it. :) That's it for now, but I hope to have more to come in the future!


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